Early Sunday morning, Winifred left with her empty cookie plate and a truck bed full of metal. I leaned in the doorway, watching the taillights pass through the trees.
“What should we work on today?” Mary asked. I caught her upward glance and followed her gaze. A sky, dark with heavy clouds, promised a day of rain and storms.
That meant inside work. Ann and Mary had done a good job sewing yesterday. Ann had taken several pieces with her to her room last night to make things for the baby. Earlier, Leif had come to take breakfast back to her. She wasn’t feeling well.
“Sewing, I guess.” Not my favorite pastime. A rumble echoed across the clearing, and I retreated indoors. Sewing beat being soaked, though.
We’d barely made it to the table when a loud boom made us both jump. Seconds later, rain lashed at the main room’s window. Mary and I looked at each other. Anton had only managed to repair a few more windows on the second floor with the salvaged glass. Casements that had once held broken shards, a partial barrier against the elements, were now completely empty thanks to our repair efforts.
Rain whipped through the air from the east, the direction of the clearing. We ran from the room to start checking windows. The intensity of the deluge brought a concerning amount of water through the moderate openings in more than a dozen rooms.
“We should have boarded them,” Mary said, eyeing the growing puddles on the floor.
I looked at the water and then tilted my head to look at the boards above. Drips of water fell from the ceiling of the room in which we stood. A little rain wouldn’t hurt the wood too much the first time, but I recalled the already sagging porch and wondered how many times rain had already soaked this wood. How long until it turned rotten? We couldn’t take chances like this.
Winifred had left me with thirty dollars from the items they’d brought to town. That made a total of forty-three dollars in my possession. It wasn’t enough to replace the boards in this place if they all went bad at once.
“It’s not too late to board the windows down here,” I said. “But I don’t think we can do anything about the second floor.”
“Winifred is listening to her radio. The storm should pass in a few hours.
The wind howled outside, and further down the hallway a door banged shut. Above the noise, I heard someone call my name.
“Here,” I called back.
Anton found us staring at the wet room.
“Come on. I have something to show you.”
In the main room, we found several squares of wood set on the tables. They were all just a bit bigger than the size of the windows. A man stood near them, waiting for us.
“Hello,” I said, meeting his gaze.
He nodded. “Before Henry and Paul left, we started to make these with a few of the broken boards from the shed. They fit over the windows for the most part. I have more started but ran out of nails.”
“These are perfect,” I said, lifting one to eye the construction. It was a frame covered by boards. The frame would fit over the casement that stuck outside. I counted six on the table.
“Totally awesome. Thank you,” I said, looking at the man again. “Let’s put these on. I have some money to go get more nails when it stops raining.”
I’d made it a step from the table when Thomas opened the door from outside.
“Not you,” he said with a frown. “We’ll do it. Once we have these on, we’ll do what we can to protect the rest of the windows.”
The man picked up a stack, Anton plucked the one from my hands, and the three left.
“What was the point of coming to get us?” I said to Mary. She shrugged.
It took them an hour to board the exposed windows. They used old, rusted nails and whatever else they could find that was solid enough to drive through the wood. It took Mary and me even longer to clean up the water. By the time we finished, the rain was letting up.
We brought the wet cloths and the pots to the kitchen. As soon as we walked into the main room, I smelled cooking meat. Two birds already roasted on the fire, and when I checked the oven, I found two more in low pans. Carrots and potatoes crowded around the baking birds. My mouth started to water as I stared at the carrots.
While Mary dumped the excess water, I pumped some more into a pot for rice. I couldn’t wait to eat.
The door opened with a bang, and a group of four men I didn’t recognize strode in. Rain dripped off their naked skin. I froze; my hand, full of dried rice, posed over the water. The gaze of the first man through the door settled on me.
“What do we have here? I thought I smelled smoke.”
I flicked a quick glance at Mary. She was staring at the men with wide eyes. I hoped she was mentally screaming at Winifred or Thomas. I did not want to use my will against these people any more. They were beaten enough without me adding to it.
I tilted my hand, dumped the rice into the water, and fully turned toward the men.
“Welcome. There are dry clothes in the entry. You can help yourself to what you need. Food will be ready soon.”
He stared at me as a slow grin spread over his features and lit his eyes.
“We were told to come here. No one said there would be unClaimed females to tempt us away from our choice to become Elder.”
Understanding why they’d suddenly appeared helped ease some of my fear.
“We’re not here to tempt you, but we are the reason more Elders are needed. Winifred will return Friday. Until then, you’re welcome to take one of the rooms on the first floor and some clothes.” I really hoped they’d get the hint and put some pants on.
The man in front didn’t lose his grin as he took a step toward me. A hand clapped down on his shoulder, stopping his advance.
“Remember why we’re here,” the second man said.
The third stepped forward. “We’re here because there aren’t enough females for all of us. Yet, here are two, and one seems a definite possibility. We haven’t committed to anything. Why not explore the possibilities.” As he spoke, he began to change. Most notably, his teeth.
I wasn’t about to allow another bite. I struck out suddenly and violently with my will. Wait outside. All four men stumbled back and blinked dazedly. Then, as one, they turned and left.
Mary gave me a shaken look as I exhaled slowly.
“What did Winifred have to say about them?” I asked, hoping Mary would think Winifred had sent them out.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think of her. I just reached out to Thomas. He’s on his way.” She paused for a moment. “Winifred is speaking to them now and to Thomas. He’s angry none of the men he left here stopped them from entering.”
I turned away from Mary, not wanting her to see my worry or frustration. All of Thomas’ talk about protecting, and where was he? And Winifred? I thought she reached out to everyone who came here to tell them not to bite me.
“Can you set out the bowls and plates?” I said to Mary, keeping my voice level and calm. I went to the fire, removed the two birds, then set the food on the tables.
Outside, a chorus of growls rose loud and fierce. Because I was near the window, I automatically looked up.
Thomas strode from the woods. He focused on the wolves crouched near the door. I glanced at them as well. Anton, Bine, and Gregory surrounded them. Both sides eyed each other warily, with the strangers growling and casting glances at Thomas. One of the wolves looked back at the window and caught me watching. He stared at me. He shifted his position slightly, angling himself more toward the window. His muscles bunched. Would he really try to get to me through the window?
Quickly looking away, I focused on Thomas. He saw the wolf watching me, and his face twisted in rage. Instead of walking or running the last few yards, he jumped. As he flew through the air, he shifted from man to wolf and landed right in front of the one watching me. The newcomer twisted at the sound of Thomas’ landing and growled. Thomas dove for him.
Mary tugged me back. “We need to go upstairs. Now. Winifred’s orders.”
“No. Tell Winifred, I will keep you safe. I need to know what’s happening. I thought they were here to be Elders.”
“Winifred says their actions show their selfishness. None of them would have passed. Two have already challenged Thomas for leadership. The three will fight. The last one standing commands the pack.”
I turned to look out the window. It seemed that the two challengers had decided to help each other. One taunted Thomas while the other tried to sneak behind him. Thomas was too smart for the move. He carefully kept himself positioned so he could see both of them while he slowly backed away from the building.
One of the wolves looked back at the two who still hovered near our door. Anton, Gregory, and Bine moved to block them from joining the fight. The two outsiders shifted back into men, crossed their arms, and widened their stance. Gregory nodded his approval, and the three turned back toward the fight.
One of the outsiders glanced at the window and grinned at me. While still meeting my gaze, he edged closer to the door. His companion remained close, guarding the movements of the first man so they wouldn’t appear obvious.
“Mary, tell Thomas not to worry about us and to stay focused on his fight, no matter what.”
I stepped away from the window and waited. It didn’t take long for the latch to move. As soon as the door opened, I swung out. Leave.
This time, the man and his companion flew backward, out into the yard. One knocked into Bine and almost brought him down.
Anton, Gregory, and Bine immediately shifted into wolves. They surrounded the men, their snarls and poised positions keeping them where they lay.
I stepped out into the rain and looked down at the fallen men.
“You are no longer welcome. Leave,” I said, pointing to the trees. They rose, growled at me, then turned and ran. Anton and Bine followed them to the edge of the trees while Gregory stood in front of me.
Their retreat distracted one of the wolves fighting Thomas. Thomas used that opening to lunge forward. He clamped down over the other’s muzzle. If the wolf bled, the rain washed it away before I could notice.
A wolf ran from the trees a distance from where Bine and Anton still stood. I didn’t take my eyes from the fight. However, from my peripheral, I recognized Grey.
Thomas shook his head, maintaining his hold and knocking the other wolf off balance as Grey raced across the clearing. The second wolf noticed Grey, too, and hesitated. He turned sideways to watch Grey’s progress and the fight.
Halfway across the clearing, Grey shifted. I, at first, thought he meant to join the fight. Instead, Grey stopped just in front of me, shielding me. Gregory tried to nudge me to the door, but I tapped him on the nose in annoyance, and he didn’t try again.
Seeing that Grey and Gregory had no intention of interfering, the second wolf launched himself at Thomas, trying to clamp down on his neck. Thomas twisted, keeping himself free while continuing to subdue the first challenger.
I didn’t see how two to one fighting was a valid challenge for leadership. What kind of leader would the pack have if he needed help to fight his battles? The thought stopped me. A leader shouldn’t jeopardize his people when he wasn’t willing to jeopardize himself. But a good leader would accept help when needed, too. Whether Thomas asked or not, he needed help.
I watched Thomas finally let loose of his hold on the first challenger. The wolf’s muzzle bled profusely, but he paid it little attention. Instead, he worked with the other challenger to circle Thomas. They managed to maneuver until one stood before Thomas and the other at Thomas’ hind leg. The one at Thomas’ back coiled, ready to spring.
“Can’t either of you take Thomas on your own?” I asked, loudly. The second wolf hesitated to attack again. “If not, what kind of leaders will you make?” A snarl arose from those in Thomas’ pack. “I think you’ll find yourselves challenged by others in his pack.” I gently laid a hand on the backs of both Gregory and Grey. “You’re both attacking him at the same time because you know he’s special. He has the loyalty of his pack, and even if you defeat him, what will you have gained? Gregory will Claim Mary in an instant to protect her, and they will leave, as will the rest. You’ll be the leader of nothing.”
The one hesitating growled at me. I didn’t stop speaking, though.
“If you want to be part of something great, then stop fighting. Concede to Thomas and join his pack. Don’t try to lead it. You were never meant to.”
A group of men stepped from the trees, distracting me from the fight. I recognized the man who strode ahead of the rest. He’d been the one who’d attacked me several days before…the man who’d pushed me to the ground and scraped my face.
“It is our right and our way to challenge for control,” he said, anger lacing his words. “You have no right here. After Thomas finishes with these two, I challenge for pack leadership and rights to this land and these buildings.”
That the group had remained close was concerning. That they’d chosen to challenge Thomas immediately after he finished his current one concerned me even more. Thomas obviously fought well, but for how long? He would tire eventually.
The two wolves attacking him seemed to think the same thing. They both launched at Thomas. Snarls and growls filled the air again as Thomas twisted to avoid teeth and claws and feinted to try to score either of the pair. One got lucky and raked Thomas’ head. His ear bled.
Thomas jumped, landed on the back of the one with the torn muzzle, and used his back legs to tangle with his opponent’s. The move brought the wolf down and exposed its throat. Thomas dove for the opening, and a gurgle cut off the wolf’s startled yelp before I could look away. The focus cost Thomas, though.
The second wolf sprang forward just as Thomas lifted his head, exposing his own throat. I gasped. Thomas twisted, looking away from the attacker. Teeth tore the side of his neck instead of his throat.
Thomas pushed backward into his attacker. The challenger lost his footing and fell onto his back. The fight ended for him just as quickly and in the same manner as his partner.
I lifted my hand from Gregory’s back and wiped the wet hair from my face. Thomas stood over the second wolf, head down, and chest heaving. The two fallen wolves were slowly reverting to their human forms.
The man who’d issued the last challenge stepped forward, obviously ready to begin.
“Stop,” I said.
The man turned to me with thunder in his eyes. “Do not interfere.”
“Two of your kind just died. Allow a few minutes for those who might know them to remove them and grieve. That’s not interference. It’s respect for your own people.”
He snarled at me but nodded. A few men stepped forward and walked to the fallen pair.
“Thomas, Mary is worried about you. While they are grieving, can you speak with her?” I knew better than to say I was worried or to ask him inside to clean his wounds. His opponent would most likely not allow me, the interloper, any kindness nor Thomas any quarter. But Mary was one of his own. Plus, I knew she would be worried, too.
Thomas trotted toward me, bumped me with his nose to indicate I should go first, and followed me inside.
Once inside, he reverted to his human form. He bore a cut near his left eye and bled too much from his neck to see the exact extent of the damage there. He had a nasty bruise forming on his right shoulder and a cut high on his thigh.
I nodded toward the table, pretending he wasn’t standing there naked. He silently sat and waited as I quickly retrieved a cloth then began to clean his neck. Someone had managed to bite him, if the four punctures in his skin was any indication. But, they weren’t so deep that the teeth between the canines had marked him. He was lucky. I hurriedly doused his skin with alcohol. My purpose wasn’t to disinfect as much as to make him taste bad and deter further biting.
While I helped Thomas, Mary emptied the cooked rice onto several plates and refilled all our pots with water. We would need it. She set as many as she could on the stovetop and the remaining two by the fire.
No one spoke as we worked. I knew too well those outside probably listened, and I didn’t want them to know just how bad Thomas was. I gently touched his torn ear. It needed to be stitched, but I knew there wasn’t time for that. Hopefully, the next fight wouldn’t take long.
When I made a move to step back, Thomas’ hands wrapped around my waist, anchoring me. Our gazes met; his reflected weariness. He exhaled heavily and leaned his forehead to my chest. My stomach somersaulted. I stayed still for a moment, staring down at his dark hair, before I set the alcohol aside and lifted a hand. I touched him gently. His hair, his undamaged ear, his bruised shoulder. I tried to give him the kindness he wouldn’t find when he walked back out into the yard.
Someone pounded on the door. “It’s time.”
Thomas lifted his head and stood. He didn’t let go of me, though. A blush heated my cheeks as his hips bumped against mine. It was an unintentional result of him standing without letting go, rather than a lustful move. Yet, we both stilled. His gaze held mine, and he lowered his head. My heart thumped heavily, and I lifted my lips to meet his. My chest felt too tight the instant before our mouths touched. The heat spread, relieving an ache I hadn’t recognized until it was gone.
I lifted my hands to his chest to steady myself. He tilted his head and pressed his lips more firmly against mine. Then he was gone.
My breathing was quick and short, and my eyes strayed to his backside. He stopped before the door and shifted back into a wolf, hiding his injuries with fur. The door opened. Grey held it for Thomas. When he saw me, he winked. Thomas trotted out, leaving Mary and me alone in the main room.
“For a Claim that didn’t work, you sure seem interested,” Mary said in a hushed tone.
I gave her a sidelong glance but remained quiet. I’d been interested in many things throughout my life—I thought of the hair ribbons I’d outgrown—but nothing lasted forever, and part of me hoped my interest in Thomas was one of those things.
Mary and I walked to the window. We couldn’t see much as too many men stood around the fight. But we could hear the snarls and growls.
“I can’t stay in here,” I said, moving to the door.
“We can’t go out there,” Mary said, grabbing my arm.
Deep down, I felt I was meant to be here, that I was meant to help these people. I was certain Winifred thought that way, too. Without Thomas or a similarly sympathetic wolf in charge of the lead pack, I’d find myself removed from their lives. I couldn’t let my fate solely rest on Thomas’ shoulders. But, what did I think I could accomplish by going out there? I couldn’t use my powers again. It was too risky. There had to be more I could do. I had to be worth more than just my abilities. If there was a way to help Thomas, I would find it.
“Mary, please. Let go.”
She shook her head but let go as I’d asked. I opened the door and stepped out. Grey and Gregory, still wolves, guarded the door and moved with me as I walked forward. A few from the crowd turned to look as I made my way toward the circle. Men moved aside for me, some with growls.
Thomas and his challenger already bled. Thomas conserved his movements, letting the other circle him between attacks. I watched silently, inwardly cringing at the injuries both received as the fight wore on.
Finally, Thomas’ opponent made a mistake that exposed his throat. Thomas had the wolf on its back within a heartbeat and dove for his neck.
“Wait,” I said, stepping into the circle as Thomas’ teeth closed down. Thomas didn’t remove his hold, but he paused.
“Winifred said your kind is dying. Since I’ve been here, I’ve witnessed three maybe four deaths. You’re killing each other because you have different beliefs regarding the future of your people. But you’re forgetting your common belief, that your kind does have a future. Stop killing. Show tolerance and mercy.”
“Thomas wants to know what you propose,” Mary said. I hadn’t realized she’d followed me out. She stood beside Gregory. It made sense, I supposed. If Thomas had failed, Gregory would have Claimed her.
“Ask him to join your pack,” I said. “Spare his life if he consents. Give him a chance to understand your beliefs while giving yourself a chance to understand his.”
“Thomas understands the pup’s beliefs well enough,” Mary said. “They were the same beliefs he held until he met you. This whelp has already met you and still will not open his eyes to see what’s before him.”
“And what’s before him, Thomas?”
Mary spoke for him again.
“Certain death. Whether by me or a future without Mates, his way leads to death.”
“I can’t promise there are more like me out there,” I said. In fact, I felt certain there weren’t. “But I want all of you to think on this: Your women are scattered and in hiding for their protection. It makes it hard for you to find and meet them. If we made this place into a true sanctuary, more women like Ann might come. If they can have their children here, and those children grow up here, the Mates you so desperately want will be more accessible. But only if you protect this place and that idea. Sanctuary for your kind.”
No one moved as the challenger shifted from wolf to man. Thomas didn’t shift or adjust his hold on the man’s throat, and empathy welled at the sight of the blood running down his neck.
“I consent to join your pack…for now,” the man rasped.
Thomas growled in response.
How foolish could the man be to throw a half-promise at Thomas like that?
“I will not leave your pack because your pack will fall apart on its own,” the man said. “You and I both know you’re already holding eight to you. How many more do you think you can hold? So, I accept. I’m sure there are a few others who would like to join as well.”
The man sounded too smug. I wanted to ask Mary what he meant about Thomas’s hold and the pack falling apart but couldn’t in front of everyone. So I waited with the rest, watching Thomas.
Thomas’ gaze met mine briefly. Then, he released his hold. He stood on the man’s chest and looked down at him until the man turned his head aside. Satisfied, Thomas trotted away. Another man stepped into his path.
“I’ll join,” he said. He, too, wore a smirk.
“Excuse me,” I said, quickly moving to Thomas’ side. Grey was close beside me. “There will be plenty of time for joining a pack. Right now, the dinner Mary and I made is going to waste. Please, come inside and eat.”
The man glanced at Thomas, who stiffly faced him.
“Later, then.”
Thomas bobbed his head, and I inwardly sighed with relief. Whatever this hold was, it sounded as if it was in danger, and I needed to understand why.
